710 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



October 23, 1902. 



best time to plant. It may be wet and 

 muddy, that makes no difference. The 

 winter will put all that to rights. Plant 

 deep, five or six inches is not too deep 

 for tulips. A blunt stick and a hole 

 with the tulip at the bottom of it is 

 all the science there is about it.. \Vliy 

 this late planting gives better results 

 than early, is, I venture to say, ac- 

 counted lor as follows: If planted early 

 and there is two months' mild weather 

 before a freeze-up the bulbs inake about 

 all the roots they ever will make and in 

 the spring the roots are hard and do 

 not supply much nourishment to the 

 leaves and flowers. If planted late the 

 roots are in the most active state after 

 spring releases the frost from the ground 

 and the flower is more abundantly sup- 

 plied from the active roots. The flow- 

 ers are larger, a better color, and better 

 than all, they last longer. 



I will conclude by telling you from 

 observation how not to do it. As you 

 all know the Pan-American company had 

 so much money that ordinary methods of 

 construction and cultivation did not dis- 

 pense it with the desired rapidity. A 

 large bill of A No. 1 bulbs (supposed 

 to be) was bought by the landscape de- 

 partment. The beds and borders were 

 first excavated six inches deep, then an 

 inch or two of sand was spread on the 

 surface, then the hyacinths and tulips 

 were set on the sand in geometrical 

 lines and figures. A gang of civil en- 

 gineers and helpers did the geometry 

 part of it. Then the earth that was ex- 

 cavated was thrown over the bulbs and 

 beautifully leveled off and later covered 

 with straw, and then, unfortunately, it 

 was the poorest lot of flowers we have 

 ever had the misfortune to see. And 

 many such little narratives could be 

 told of waste, extravagance and impu- 

 dent ignorance accompanied by "loafer's 

 gall." 



I meant in speaking of the astilbe to 

 say that last fall a few dozen clumps of 

 a variety called "Washington" was sent 

 us by a New York firm. It proved a 

 grand thing, much finer in every way 

 than compacta or the old type. 



William Scott. 



ROSES. 



Seasonable Hints. 



Now that we are at the beginning of 

 the season of steady firing a few remind- 

 ers as to the care of the houses under 

 these conditions may not be out of place. 



The burning questions for some time 

 to come will be the supply of coal, and 

 how to economize on that item, and this 

 question requires most careful consid- 

 eration. Merely keeping the tempera- 

 ture at a fixed figure at night or during 

 the day with the smallest amount of coal 

 possible is hardly the kind of economy 

 that pays. There are davs and nights, 

 too, when the temperature can be kept to 

 the normal by simply closing the ven- 

 tilators, and no doubt many will be 

 tempted to try this plan to save a few 

 dollars, but the quality of the cut will 

 soon deteriorate and the injury to the 

 generil health of the stock will be more 

 than an offset to the few dollars saved. 



This method of treating roses is one 

 of the most fruitful sources of trouble. 

 The air becomes close and stagnant, 

 causing the foliage to become soft, the 

 young growth will lose that vigor and 

 robustness so necessary to carry a well 

 finished bud, and the plants will acquire 



tint condition of impaired vitality that 

 will make them susceptible to the rav- 

 ages of any disease by which they nuiy 

 be attacked. 



In order to keep the plants in 

 a vigorous and healthy condition 

 it is essential to keep the air 

 fresh and sweet. This can only be 

 done by keeping up a good circulation 

 without creating a direct draught, xnd 

 the best means to attain this is to use 

 heat and ventilation. 



In such a season as the past summer 

 it has been a hard matter to keep stock 

 from growing soft and spongy, and in 

 mmj' places no doubt it is in a very un- 

 fit condition to enter on the winter with, 

 and care should be taken to use every 

 means to harden it up before dark 

 weather begins. To do this successfully 

 the houses should have as much air on 

 every favorable opportunity as it is pos- 

 sible to give with safety. 



During close and nmggy weather the 

 ventilators should be left partly open at 

 night, and as many pipes left on as will 

 keep the thermometer at the required 

 mark, and even through the day it is 

 better to keep some of the pipes on so 

 that a greater amount of ventilation cin 

 be given. Watering also will require spe- 

 cial care at this time, as the roots are 

 beginning to lose a great part of their 

 activity, and consequently will be less 

 able to use so much as heretofore. A 

 careful examination of the benches every 

 morning will be necessary as this will 

 reveal many dry spots that will require 

 attention. 



During the hurry and bustle of get- 

 ting ready for winter, boxing and storing 

 bulbs, lilies, etc., tying will be apt to 

 receive less attention than it should. 

 Any neglect in this matter at this sea- 

 son will later on result in crooked and 

 weak stems, which mil detract very 

 much from the value of even the best de- 

 veloped buds. The eyes will also break 

 weak by reason of want of light and air, 

 and a growth of blind wood will be en- 

 couraged which is undesirable at this sea- 

 son. Each stem should be tied up neat- 

 ly and separately, and in such a manner 

 as to allow free circulation of air among 

 the leaves, so that they miy dry quickly 

 after syringing; this also facilitates syr- 

 inging. 



Keep the benches clear of all ripe and 

 decaying leaves, especially in Beauty, 

 Liberty and Meteor houses. Apart from 

 the untidy appearance these create they 

 are also a source of disease and trouble, 

 affording a nursery for fungous growths 

 and shelter for troublesome insects. 



Precautions against mildew are still in 

 order. Keep the pipes painted with the 

 sulphur mixture at least once a week, 

 and also use the blower frequently, al- 

 ways selecting a bright day for this 

 work. 



Greenfly will begin to give some trou- 

 ble, but a light fumigation once a week 

 will hold this in check. Thrips will also 

 put in an appearance and it may be bet- 

 ter to fumigate twice a week in Beauty 

 and Kaiserin houses. 



Disbudding and removing of laterals 

 should receive frequent attention. If 

 these are allowed to remain on too long 

 they spoil the appearance of the finest 

 stems and reduce them in grades. 



From now on during the winter the 

 floors and paths should be kept as dry 

 as possible, there being usually moisture 

 sufficient and to spare in the atmosphere 

 during the next four months. By econ- 

 omizing on water it is easier to econo- 

 mize on coal. 



It is only by carefully attending to de- 

 tails, and keeping a vigilant eye on at- 

 tending conditions that we are able to 

 circumvent our enemies and induce those 

 conditions so necessary to the welfare 

 of the plants, and the proper develop- 

 ment of a crop of perfect buds. 



RiBES. 



EEL-WORMS IN ROSES. 



Please tell what to do for eel-worms. 

 I have been using lime water and tobacco 

 stems soaked in water over night. It 

 seems to hold them back for a week. The 

 leaves turn yellow and die. 



I had a great deal of trouble last 

 spring with bedding plants. They hail 

 sufficient air, water and heat. The 

 water in this section contains more or 

 less salt and mineral matter. The soil 

 is a light black loam and seems to lose 

 its strength after watering it a few 

 months. M. F. C. 



The specimens of roses received were 

 very badly infested with eel-worms. The 

 plants seem never to have made any 

 vigorous growth, and of course infested 

 as they are they never will. So far I 

 have been unable to learn of anything 

 that will destroy the worms, without 

 also destroying the plants. They perish 

 in solutions of acids, and of most metal- 

 lic compoimds, but these unfortimately 

 are most destructive to plmt life. It 

 seems a pity, but the best thing to do is 

 to destroy every affected plant, renew 

 the soil and replant with healthy stock. 

 The sample of soil sent seems suitable 

 for rose culture if composted properly. 



Anent the trouble with bedding stock. 

 This saine soil would in my opinion be 

 the ideal soil for such. The fault may 

 be in the water, and M. F. C. should' 

 have some one in the locality examine 

 the source of supply. Eibes. 



TOBACCO ASHES— MANURE. 



Are tobacco-stem ashes all right to 

 use as a top dressing on rose or carna- 

 tion benches ? And would well rotted 

 horse numure do if no cow manure can 

 be had? Or is fresh cow minure from 

 last spring that is not rotted yet all 

 right to use? Or should it be rotted 

 first? J. B. 



Ashes from vegetable growth consist 

 of such elements as are always re- 

 quired for their perfect matur- 

 ity, and it is evident they must 

 furnish one of the best manures 

 which can be supplied for their growth. 

 They contain in fact every element and 

 generally in the right proportion for 

 insuring a full and ripid growth. 



At the same time great care must be 

 taken not to give too much by way of 

 top dressing. One bushel of such ashes 

 will be sufficient for 150 square yards of 

 bench surface for a first application. If 

 the results are satisfactory a slight in- 

 crease in the quintity at the next appli. 

 cation may be of benefit. If the plants 

 are showing .my signs of unhealthiness 

 they will be better without it; in any 

 case be cautious. 



Well rotted horse manure mixed in 

 the same proportions as recommended 

 for cow manure is a good substitute. 



Cow manure collected during last 

 spring should now be sufficiently decom- 

 posed for this purpose. By mixing it 

 mth soil in the right proportions, and 

 turning it over once a week it will 

 be quite fit for a mulch in three weeks. 

 One inch thick will be heavy enough. 



BiBEa. 



